A New Home

During Spring Break, the girls and I went to story time at the Layton Library. There were less songs, it seemed - probably due to being in a section of the library vs. being in a large room by ourselves in Draper, but they seemed to read more books conversely. Then the story-teller read a fun story about an Easter egg with transparencies of the character. The girls got to color a picture of the egg from the story. It was fun and I'm glad we went.

We then went to search for books and although they didn't have a lot of our favorite character books so readily visible as before, we did get some good books to take home. And they have large blue plastic 'baskets' for the girls to tote around to put their finds in. A huge selling point :) The girls loved those.

The girls even have their own library card now, complete with their own 'signature' on the back.

So, we have found a new library home for now. Rumor has it that Farmington is getting  a new Library! Which reminds me, I need to go a searchin' for someone to e-mail so I can beg for a great children's section to be constructed just as Draper has!

Goodnight for now. More new books to post soon !

The Berenstain Bears and the Bad Dream

Cali has a visit to the Library every Wednesday at school and lately she has been bringing home the Berenstain Bears books. Last week she brought home this book and I got to read it with her before it went back to school with her today for a new find this afternoon. (She picked The Berenstain Bears and the Double Dare today. From the title and the illustration on the cover, I think the TV show did an episode from this story, but we shall see!)

I love the Berenstain Bears books, though, because they teach Principles in such a great way. Or like this book about bad dreams, it helps explain what dreams are and how they can be a mix of things from your life at the time. How comforting to a child who is still trying to figure out the world around her! I think the authors, Stan and Jan Berenstain, can explain things so well. A big Thank You, to them for such wonderful concepts for their stories and books. A Parent's Helper!

View "The Berenstain Bears and the Bad Dream" at Amazon.com

New Finds!

We had our SEP Conference with Cali and her teacher yesterday. She had another glowing report, I might add☺ But I had helped in her class last week and noticed in the hallway they had some old library books for sale-10 cents! They were still there yesterday and it looked like more than the time before. So, Rick and I sorted through what was there a little, then he went to raid the ashtray in the car for coins. I stayed with little sis and continued to look. We ended up buying 9 'new' books! Maybe we will have a few or so we can add to our Books at Bedtime Collection ☺

A Sad, Sad Day

We went to IKEA last Saturday (surprise, surprise) and thought that we would stop at our favorite library nearby. I was notified awhile back that I left my library card there and stopped at the desk soon after we arrived only to find out it had been too long and they threw it out. Well, no problem, I could sign up to get a new one. She confirmed my address, and no, it wasn't right. I gave her my new one. Salt Lake County? She questioned. Uh, I had to think. No, Davis County.

That darn Davis County.

The sad bomb dropped shortly after that. Apparently there is an out of county fee to use this particular, wonderful, stupendous, Library that I was standing in - $40 for 6 months or $80 for a year. (i can't remember for sure). I went to tell Rick who was already in the awesome children's section with the girls.

The Librarian said we could check out books that day at no charge. I confessed we had checked out before, but she said it was okay because we didn't know. Ultimately, though, Rick didn't feel right checking out books so, after awhile, we left empty handed. I have to say I agree with him that we can't pay for something that is supposed to be free!

I did ask the Librarian if the fee could be reduced. (Thinking that sometimes when you are a part of a club or business you are entitled to a discount.) No go. It dawned on me later that we are charged this fee probably because our tax dollars are being paid in Davis County and not Salt Lake anymore. Poo.

I did tell the Librarian, (in low sounding voice tone & because I'm just that way) that "the libraries up there suck." She said she knew. Don't know how she would.

I still have to check out Ogden and Bountiful. Keep your fingers crossed for Books at Bedtime that we can find another great local childen's book haunt. ☺

I suppose all good things must come to an end. I do have a few more books that I found to add to our collection if I can ever get my posting fingers in gear.

But for now, I will have to look elsewhere to find great reads.

Goodnight ☽ my little sleepy readers.

Where Is The Cake?

My girls have loved this one! I usually do my own review, but to make sure that you understand how this original and downright 'totally cool' book works, I am going to quote the synopsis from the back of the book.

"Mr. and Mrs. Dog's cake is stolen! And that's just the beginning... As they chase the thieves through a variety of landscapes, one calamitous event after another ensues. Baby Bunny loses her toy. Mischievous monkeys steal Miss Cat's hat. Little Piglet goes astray. And wait!! Will he fall off that cliff? Told entirely through pictures, Where Is the Cake" is an adventurous look-and-find book. Each time you "read" it, you will delight in discovering something new."

Did you catch the genius? There are no words, just illustrations that tell the story of the cake and other little 'stories' as well.

Have fun with your little ones tonight as you look through this book together and don't forget to say (and find) "Where is the cake?"

View "Where Is The Cake?" at Amazon.com

Happy School Year

Cali brought home the greatest book today from her school library ☺ We read it together tonight at bedtime. In fact, Cali said she read it to her teacher, Mrs. Yardley, today, so I am wondering if there wasn't a little 'quizzing' going on to see how well Cali reads.

This book is about all kinds of children waking up and starting their day, but "not just any day"... the first day of school! As they all make it to school through various ways, the children join teachers and staff and fellow students in a big room. "A new school year is a great adventure,"... says the principal... "and like all great adventures, it can sometimes be a little scary. But we are all here to help one another. And I think you'll find friends along the way." With a cupcake and a lit candle, wishes are made for the school year as the principal counts, "One... Two... Three! Happy School Year!"

In the back of the book, where the author and illustrator bios are, it states under the author, Susan Milord: "This story was inspired by a First Day in Norwich, Vermont where she now lives." I don't remember starting out any 'first days' like this when I was a kid, do you? Wouldn't that have been nice?!

A great story of diversities in children and a help for that eventful day in both a child's and parent's life☺ A great read with beautiful soft primary-colored illustrations.

View "Happy School Year" at Amazon.com

Darkness Slipped In

If you have a little one afraid of the dark, this book may be your answer to cure the ‘scaries’! ☺ At first the story seems a little worrisome. Resembling a black kokopelli, Darknesss creeps into Daisy’s room seemingly unawares while Daisy dances and plays. “But Daisy had seen Darkness, and she wasn’t scared at all.”, the story continues. Darkness is no match for this strong, brave little girl! “With one swift move she crossed the room and grabbed him by the wrist.” And what do you think happens next? They start dancing together! And later, they even share lemonade and cake. Friends they become and share time together night after night. It even appears Darkness watches over her in her sleep at the end of the story; a very comforting image.

How cute is this story!? I love the minimal colors in the illustrations: black, white and pink, with one little blonde girl (okay, so, I’m a little partial to blonde cuties!) But boys can enjoy the bravery and strength, too, of this story despite the ‘girliness’ ☺ of the book. I’d say a must have for your library at home and definitely a perfect story for bedtime.

View "Darkness Slipped In" at Amazon.com

Buzz-Buzz, Busy Bees, An Animal Sounds Book

Daddy and I gave this book to Carice, our 2 year old, for her birthday last month. It's such a cute little book with fun popped-out yellow and black striped fabric bees. I really like the depth and the soft high-lighting of the colorful illustrations.

Rooster, Horse, Cow, and Sheep, want the bees to come and spend time with them, but they are too busy to do so! ""Oink-Oink" says Pig. "Bees are buzzing all about." "What are they busy doing? Let's go find out!""

Just what are those busy little bees up to? Hint: something wholesome and delicious for you and me!

Pick this up for a beautiful, fun book while learning the sounds of each farm friend!

View "Buzz-Buzz, Busy Bees, An Animal Sounds Book" at Amazon.com

Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe

I wanted to include this book in our collection because it was Cali's first library find at her elementary school! Yes, my first baby is now a bona fide Kindergartener. (How did that happen already?) ☺ And since today is Tuesday, her Library check-out and return day, I thought I better get this done quickly!

This book actually wasn’t very easy to read outloud. But upon further review, I’ve decided it reads like a child’s book report , with stops in between in the text to point to a picture and tell what is going on in the picture.

We only read it once and then I raced through it today so I could add it in here. Essentially, it is about a girl and her experience with her (cousin?), mother and aunt on a three day canoe/camping trip and what they encounter. It even has instructions on how to tie a certain knot and a couple recipes for meals they ate. But the character did manage to bring back a fish she promised her cat, Sixtoes!

So, as you can see, I probably need to read the story again, but alas, it went into the pink ballerina backpack and off to school today. We will see what Cali brings home today ☺

Thank you, Cal, for bringing home an interesting book we could share together at bedtime. ☺ I love you!

View "Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe" at Amazon.com

Sad, Sad, State of Affairs

A new town. A new county. A new library! Unfortunately… it hasn’t been the great experience I hoped it to be in finding a new library for me and the girls to attend. As I sit and write this on my ‘third’ library visit, I’ve found this library to be better than library #2, which was much better than #1, but now I’m thinking, yeah… I guess I will be going back to my old home town to visit the library. You have to understand. The children’s section at the former library? Incredible. Big clear picture windows with benches underneath. A happy selection of board books for my 2 year old. ‘Favorite friends’ to check out: Arthur, Thomas, George, Strawberry Shortcake, as well as new stories of course. Tons of stuffed dolls/animals of your favorite book characters on top of the easy to reach bookshelves. Small tables and chairs for little ones to sit and puruse the new finds. And a separate room all to ourselves for story times and special events, (puppet shows, magic shows, etc)

As you can see, my expectations were high after coming from a library such as this. My sister in law, Steph, mentioned a couple of times how she wished she had a great library as I had. Now I know she was right.

So, I was thinking. Cali gets out of kindergarten early on Fridays. Who’s to say Carice and I can’t pick her up, grab some lunch together, then take a 45 minute drive to our old reading grounds? I know. It sounds crazy. It’s just a library you’re saying. But it’s a fantastic library. The feeling and the atmosphere and the selections there are simply awesome. We can even swing by the big city on the way home and pick up Daddy ☺

Besides, we can check-out up to 30 books at one time and have three whole weeks to dive into them! A once a month ‘travelling girls book club’ outing? Sounds like a plan to me. Who’s game?

Curious George in the Big City

I read this book to Cali, my 5 year old, a while back. At first I didn't notice the illustration, but upon reading it a second time, I did. Curious George is in New York and there in the book are the Twin Towers. I stopped in my reading tracks. I can't remember if I said anything to Cali. If I did, there was no discussion about 9/11 that I remember. I read an article today from my Sesame Street Newsletter of two children's interaction of the events of that day. Should I have said something to Cali about how those buildings were no longer there and why? Maybe I did mention that they were no longer there, but nothing was elaborated.

This particular book is illustrated in the style of H.A. Rey, not written or illustrated by him. The copyright is 2001, but obviously completed and printed before that dreadful day in September when we would close our eyes and still see the images of the plane(s). I know my girls will learn of September 11 in school someday and how odd it is for me to think that I have lived a page in a history book of such grave despair. I and my family were not directly touched by the events that day, but in a way, we were.

We send love and comfort for those whose lives were changed that day and perhaps a little lightness through this book to remember a time when life was a little less scary. When a curious little monkey could get on top of New York City looking for the Man with the Yellow Hat and we would see in the illustration of the city scape nothing out of the ordinary.

A New Library

I meant to post more books after our last library run of 21 books, but I ran out of time due to a gigantic move of 4 people to a new home 45 minutes away. I don't know how people move across the country; this move was a beast! Anyway... we are in a new city and I know of a new library that is actually in a different city one freeway exit away that I want to check out and obviously bring the girls to. I hope they have a great children's section like our former library. Wish us luck for more new finds! And hopefully no more book fines. (now where is that Arthur book that we still have to turn in from before?!)

Duck at the Door

The main reason I love this book is because it makes me think of one of my most favorite people in the world, my sister, Sue. She loves animals and so it reminded me of her with all the brood Irene has of puppies, kitties, birds and even a rabbit! And also what the animals might say of Sue when they hear a knock on the door late one snowy night: " LET'S GO ASK IRENE! SHE ALWAYS KNOWS WHAT TO DO."

Max, a duck who thought he might just like winter as much as spring, decided to not take off with the rest of the flock going south. "But it turned out to be COLD and very lonely." he said. So, he is taken in, (much like what my sister might have done :) and learns how to use the remote control, cook, share a bed with the St. Bernard, Brody, (yes, Sue had one of those, too, except his name was Oly!) and pretty much drive all the fellow home-sharers crazy in the process :) Just when they want Irene to have a talk with Max, his flock comes back and off he goes. The animals miss Max and realize he brought a little fun and life to the house. In the fall there is another knock at the door and whom do they hope it is? Yep. Max, but he brought the whole flock with him! "Everyone looked at Irene, hoping she would say something. But all she could say was "Welcome Home!"

A fun book with soft, cartoon-like illustrations. A great find for the animal lovers all ages!

View "Duck at the Door" at Amazon.com

Mrs. McBloom, Clean Up Your Classroom!

So, we (in other words, me) managed to huff out of the library on our last visit with 21 books! :) *phew* Out of that last run came a fun little gem about Mrs. McBloom who has been teaching at Knickerbocker Elementary in Up Younder for almost 50 years. Room 5 is a complete mess of all the years of everything and is need of a good cleaning. "Oh, higgly-piggly," Mrs. McBlooom would say. "It's on my to-do list... See, it's listed right here above Take a fancy-shmancy criuse." But, now she is getting ready to retire. How is she going to get this classroom ready for Miss Bumblesprout who is due to take over the following school year? Mrs. McBloom comes up with an idea: a homework assignment. "Come up with an idea to get Room #5 tidy Lickety Split", the blackboard read, "Be Creative! S T R E T C H your imagination. Use your noggin! Anything goes!!!" Travel through this amazingly-full illustrated creative book with your sweet little jammied ones tonight to find out who comes up with the winning idea, and what finds they find in Room 5 as it finally does get all "gussied-up" and "spiffed-up." (Had to laugh at a library book that was uncovered and overdue by 35 years! Yes, we've had a few a lot of over-dues, too! ;)

Buy "Mrs. McBloom, Clean Up Your Classroom!" at Amazon.com

Happy Birthday, Peek-a-Boo!

No, this isn't a children's book from our latest library run. Just a happy shout-out to my littlest love. My youngest daughter and fellow page turner turned two today! She woke up with a tantrum this morning; still not exactly sure what that was all about. (Isn't she supposed to wait until the years start piling up in age and THEN there will be something to cry about? :) But Daddy calmed her down by reading from some books we just borrowed from the library and tonight she peacefully was tucked in her bed at 9:34pm. How easily and effortlessly you came into this world, My Love. You are completely one of my greatest joys. You are such a beautiful little toddler and so much fun to be around. Happy Birthday, Carice, Here's to many more birthdays and books together :)

I Love You Forever,
Mommy

Carry-Me Farm Animals

Meet and pet 5 farm animals as you explore this board book together! I never realized until reading the back of this book that books that have texture to them, ie: faux fur, faux fuzzy ears, etc. help develop hand and eye coordination. Good to know! This book also offers a convenient build-in handle for little ones who are on the go. Real photos of the animals, bright colors, sounds each animal make are also part of this simple and easy book. Shiny and glittery illustrations, too! A fun and short bedtime read.

Buy "Farm Animals" at Amazon.com

Hilda Must Be Dancing

This actually was a library find from several months back, but worthy of a post! I love to read children's books that rhyme. There is such a fun rhythm to reading rhyming books out loud to the girls and this book is one of them :) Hilda is a hippo that loves to dance. From flamenco, to disco, with costumes and all, she can do it with the best of them, much to the chagrin her fellow animal friends. Her dancing shakes up the Earth beneath pretty darn good! "Hilda Must Be Dancing!", they moan and try and get her to try something else. She does, but ends up going back to getting her groove on until the water buffalo come up with something that she and the rest are all happy with! Pick this book up for a fun read where the words just flow brilliantly together! Heck, even try out a few moves courtesy of Hilda herself (providing it doesn't get the children too riled up before bed ;)

Buy "Hilda Must Be Dancing" at Amazon.com

Blankie

Okay, so this book, when my 2 year old and I sat down to read it, pretty much rendered her speechless! :) At times when she finds things that are 'the same' as her she points it out with a cute affirming "too" on the end of the sentence. I don't know if this book hit so close to home or what. And she wanted to read it over and over again. We read it about 5 times in a row at bedtime and she just seemed so quiet or awe-struck or something! She is a 'blankie girl' through and through and so this book is absolutely perfect for her. You get to meet Blankie in the beginning of the book then see all that it does with its little tiny owner. I'm not too crazy about the subtle ink-smudged illustrations, but the message is clear—"... I love Blankie best of all. And Blankie loves me!" A great gift idea for the little blankie lover in your life :)

Buy "Blankie" at Amazon.com

Curious George Takes a Job

Again, my 5 year old loves anything with an ambulance and so consequently this is one of her favorite books! Poor George needs to take a ride in one when he breaks his leg from a hard landed jump. He is hired to wash windows on a skyscraper, but of course gets too curious about what's going on in one the rooms where painters are doing their job. He decides to do a little paining of his own while the workers are on their lunch break then has to escape when they come back to find he has a jungle theme painted! Pull up the covers and enjoy this 1947 original story from H. A. Rey that is still a good bedtime read. I like to check out books at the library that the girls never have seen or read before so they are exposed to something new, however, I'm not opposed to getting a few 'familiar friends' like Caillou, Barney, Thomas the Train or of course our favorite curious monkey!

Buy "Curious George Takes a Job" in hardback or paperback at Amazon.com

A Happy Home : A First Words Book

I love these Boxer Concept books; they make reading to and teaching my 2 year old very easy! They have simple and colorful illustrations. Five other concept books include: counting, colors, ABC's, opposites, and shapes. We've read the color and opposites as well. And an eco-bonus: their "papers are sourced from managed forests and renewable resources." Think green, buy green! ;)

Buy "A Happy Home: A First Words Book" at Amazon.com